[color=gray]As if it wasn't enough for Aïtana to wake up in this place, locked up and undressed. Which meant Catarina had taken advantage of her unconsciousness to release her off her clothes without her consent. But then again, nothing here was happening with her consent. So she wasn't too surprised about that crossing of a border either. But to top it off, she had to say something. She just [i]had to[/i]. It felt like the conversation from last night just started right up where they left it off. The sweetly hidden insults. The sexual component on Catarina's part. The play of dominance. The mask of someone who still tried to convince her that she had any power to make any decision here and affect the outcome.

[i][color=fab900]I wouldn't need a book recommendation if you hadn't kidnapped me and locked me up. I have plenty to read at home.[/color][/i] Catarina's nicety act was more than getting on Aïtana's nerves. She could try her best to convince her she was a decent human being. As long as Aïtana sat in a prison cell - however nice and pretty it might be - she would not believe one word of it. [i][color=fab900]Decent people don't kidnap you and lock you up.[/color][/i]

Needless to say, Aïtana was quick to put on her clothes and paid Catarina's comment no response. Although her head had turned red - which he regretted but had no control over -, she didn't care for her words. No, she didn't. Why would she? She absolutely didn't. 

[color=fab900]"I can give you the address of my lingerie shop if you like"[/color], she answered, to her surprise, without any sarcasm, without any bite in her tone. Just... a regular answer. She must still be feeling the aftermath of that pain-spell attack.

As she laced up her shoes, one foot propped on the chair in front of her while she still sat at the table, she looked up at Catarina. [color=fab900]"You know, Catarina. If you want people to not immediately dislike you for kidnapping them - which they have any reason to, just so we're clear - maybe you should refrain from telling them how [i]lucky[/i] they are to have time now because [i]you kidnapped them[/i]. And you're holding them hostage in a cage. It doesn't matter how pretty your cage is, it is still a cage. But I appreciate the bed."[/color]

Aïtana let out a sight. She did offer breakfast and Aïtana had the weird feeling that she wouldn't get any if she didn't play nice for now. That wouldn't be a smart move. She needed her energy. Especially if Catarina planned to use her godforsaken powers again. [color=fab900][i]That abomination of a spell.[/i][/color]

Aïtana moved her body towards the bars. She took the bread Catarina had slid through the door and returned to the table to sit at it with her breakfast. She made sure she was facing Catarina. It made no sense to provoke her right now. There would come many other possibilities but right now breakfast sounded good enough.

[color=fab900]"Anther suggestion if you're up for it. If you want your prisoner to lighten up, maybe don't tell them you're not in the mood for their anger. You put us in this situation. That was your decision. You have to deal with the consequences of that. If you want me to meet you on eye level and treat you with respect, you gotta make the step and show me you're even capable of repaying that favor. Your gestures - as you'd likely wanna point out now - do not show me respect. They just show that you have a love for the romantic and dramatic. They show that you like to play the good guy even when you have someone locked in a cage and knock them out whenever you feel like it. If you want me to ... what did you say? ... [i]lighten up[/i], you might wanna consider to give me a good reason to not curse you and oppose you with every breath I take."[/color] As she reached the end of her little speech Aïtana came to notice that she still hasn't spitten venom at the woman. Maybe she was still a bit exhausted? Maybe she would regain her fighting spirit after a few bites?

The truth was that for now, it didn't seem in Aïtana's interest to sarcastically belittle Catarina. They had tried to communicate yesterday. That much was true. They had also failed immensely. Maybe none of them had wanted to communicate, maybe both parties had just wanted to say words and dance around the other, talk at them, not [i]to[/i] them. In a sense that was still the case for Aïtana. And if her gut feeling and her interpretation of Catarina's approach were any indicators, her captor still felt the same way.

In the end, weren't they both in a situation that is hard to handle? Yes, Catarina put them in this situation. She definitely holds the responsibility for it. But so far she hasn't attempted to torture Aïtana even though she easily could with that spell of hers. She also hasn't tried to bribe or blackmail or frighten Aïtana into promising she'd never say a word or even joining her cause.

All Catarina had done was react immediately to a situation she felt she had no control over. When Aïtana discovered what she had, she had put Catarina into the situation of fast-react. And Catarina had chosen to knock her out. Maybe so she wouldn't confront her. Maybe so she couldn't escape. Maybe because Catarina wanted to make sure she would never tell a soul - death was still a plausible end for all of this. But maybe Catarina hadn't known how else to react. And at that moment, she stood alone with the unconscious symbol of morality and goodness at her disposal. And she had to do something. So she took her with her. To a place, she would consider safe.

And truly, since then Catarina hadn't tried to harm her. Not really. She had played games, had tried to seem bigger than she is, had attempted to put on many different masks to hide the fact that, probably, she still didn't know what to do. [color=fab900][i]Maybe she doesn't wanna hurt me after all.[/i][/color] It was a big maybe but it still was one. And it was in her interest to not put Catarina into a situation where she wanted to hurt Aïtana while Catarina still held all the advantages.

She pushed out the air in her lungs audibly. [color=fab900]"While we're having breakfast, you can tell me about that book you've been talking about. If you like."[/color][/color]